All of us have God-given gifts, it's just a matter of identifying them. The Holy Spirit gives us these to build up the Kingdom of God here on earth, and bring new souls to Jesus Christ. They are identified in numerous passages in the Bible: Corinthians 12:1-14, Romans 12: 6-8, and Ephesians 4:11.
If you stop long enough to look, you can see these gifts and manifested in the lives of those around you, including your own. Sometimes, I think it's more easy to recognize some one elses spiritual gifts other than your own, even if they can't see it themselves.
I have been able to do that in many of my friends over the years. The gifts of love and faithfulness are easy to see in my friend Ron with his out going and never ending zest for Jesus. He has had a Bible Study class and mens prayer group for many years. Ron also has the gift of evangelism, and will minister to anyone, anytime. He is easy with a smile and Bible verse to lighten any load you are carrying. Ron embraces his gifts and lives for the Lord each and every moment of his life.
I think my husband Steve has a servants heart and what a gift that is. He has always taken care of me and our kids, but he has been my "caregiver" for over 12 years now since the onset of my MS. It can't be easy taking care of someone elses' needs all the time, but he does it every day with style. Along with being my best friend and the love of my life, he is tireless in his devotion to me and I am so thankful and grateful for his patience and love. Definitely a "God Thing," as I like to say. He might not see himself as a servant of the Lord, but I certainly do.
It has been easy to see the gifts of wisdom and guidance, through a number of my dear friends like Brent and Mary. They were our pastor and wife years ago when I went through my medical crisis in 1997. That totally bonded me to them for life. I will never forget their presence in my life when I needed them most. Although they moved on to another church 10 years ago, but we have remained close and have turned to them in some of our darkest hours. They have the gift of ministry and are both leaders for Christ. They always look at anything in life through the eyes of Jesus. I so value their continued friendship.
My dear friend Michelle always has the gift of encouragement. She suffers with MS, like me, yet she always keeps a positive attitude about life. She always tries to look for the best in a situation and in a person. She is always there to tell me I'm doing a good job, or giggle or is excited just to sit around and play scrabble and talk about life. Her bright smile always encourages me every time I see her.
One of my oldest and closest friends is Ellen. I have known and loved her for over 36 years! She is always there for me, in good times and bad. I worked with her for years, and have always known her to just be one of the kindest and most patient people I have ever known. She is one of those people that God puts in your life for a lifetime, and I am so thankful for that! What a blessing she has been for all the people that have known her over the years.
I have many more friends that continue to touch my life with their gifts. God is using them each day, and they may not even know it. I watch them moving through their lives and I see the people that they impact, and how they reach out and uplift others. It is awesome!
Stop and take time to think about your own spiritual gifts. Do you know what they are? Are you using your God-given gifts to build up the kingdom of God? Take a few minutes to read the Bible verses above and reach out to others with your gifts from the Lord. It will bring incredible joy to your life :)
My verses for day are about spiritual gifts Corinthians 12:1-14, Romans 12: 6-8, and Ephesians 4:11,
Romans 6:6
" We each have different gifts, according to the grace given us... let us use them in proportion
to our faith."
My prayer for today:
Dear Lord:
Thank you for your Holy Spirit and the gifts He bestows. Help me to use my gifts to spread the love of Jesus to everyone I love.
In Jesus Name I pray,
Amen
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Who rescues you from the storms of life?
Where do you go when the storms of life come? They come, for all of us at some time or another. Life seems to be moving along just fine, and then all of a sudden, SMACK! It's like a left hook right to the jaw :(
Someone close to you passes away, you lose your job, your marriage breaks up, your house goes into foreclosure, your child makes a very bad decision in life and now has to pay the hard consequences, a natural disaster strikes and you are without your home or everything you own, you get a bad report from the doctor, your child is very ill, and the list goes on forever because this life we journey we call life is very messy, right?
When I feel overtaken by the events happening in my life; like right now, I look UP! I need His tender touch to uplift my spirit. I need prayers from all my friends and family. There are a thousand things that can happen to any of us in the course of 24 hours and for me, my refuge is always my God; my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Because when it's all said and done, He is the only one you can really count on in this life. He formed you in your mother's womb, he knows everything about you and all your fears and the tears you cry. Everyone in your life can disappoint and let you down, but Jesus will always be right by your side, right there to ease your pain.
Can you see God's light shining through the storms of your life?
My verse for today is from Matthew 28:20
"For surely I am with you always, even unto the very end of the age."
My prayer for today:
Lord God:
You know what is in my heart. You know the pain that our family is going through. Please be with us all, pull us together instead of tearing us apart. Help us to remember that our lives are in your hands. Help me to be strong in Your words, Your assurances and Your promises. We are a Christian family and we belong to you. Thank you Lord for your Salvation.
In Jesus Name I pray,
Amen
Someone close to you passes away, you lose your job, your marriage breaks up, your house goes into foreclosure, your child makes a very bad decision in life and now has to pay the hard consequences, a natural disaster strikes and you are without your home or everything you own, you get a bad report from the doctor, your child is very ill, and the list goes on forever because this life we journey we call life is very messy, right?
When I feel overtaken by the events happening in my life; like right now, I look UP! I need His tender touch to uplift my spirit. I need prayers from all my friends and family. There are a thousand things that can happen to any of us in the course of 24 hours and for me, my refuge is always my God; my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Because when it's all said and done, He is the only one you can really count on in this life. He formed you in your mother's womb, he knows everything about you and all your fears and the tears you cry. Everyone in your life can disappoint and let you down, but Jesus will always be right by your side, right there to ease your pain.
Can you see God's light shining through the storms of your life?
My verse for today is from Matthew 28:20
"For surely I am with you always, even unto the very end of the age."
My prayer for today:
Lord God:
You know what is in my heart. You know the pain that our family is going through. Please be with us all, pull us together instead of tearing us apart. Help us to remember that our lives are in your hands. Help me to be strong in Your words, Your assurances and Your promises. We are a Christian family and we belong to you. Thank you Lord for your Salvation.
In Jesus Name I pray,
Amen
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Can we Glorify God in our suffering?
There has been a lot of suffering going on in my life these past 12 months. My Dad has had a tremendous amount of sickness, and has been in and out of the hospital about 6 or 7 times. I have seen him close to death, only to rally and fall again and again. Now it looks like he may be really turning the corner, and finally be on the long road to recovery. That is a true Praise Report because more than once Pop's doctors thought he had little to no chance of making it. I have felt strongly throughout his many health battles, that his time on this earth was not over, and that God had more work for him to do. His miraculous recovery, over and over again, is sure testimony to unbelievers that my Dad's life is not in the hands of the doctors, but in the Mighty and Capable Hands of God Almighty! As my dear friend Ron always reminds me "Nicki, those doctors are just practicing medicine. That's why they call it a medical practice. They are not the true Healer, the true Healer is the Lord God. He works His healing through the doctors and prayer." At that is so true, my Pop is well, because God chose for him to live longer, plain and simple. We have a time to go, and this was not my Pop's time, not yet anyway.
On the other side of the coin, I have watched the sister of a dear friend succumb to cancer, after a 10 month courageous battle. With her abiding faith in Jesus and through her online Caring Bridge website blog, she ministered to at least 3,200 friends and family over that time (that is how many hits she had on her web page), including myself. How many more people actually followed along on her blog, but yet made no comment, we'll never know, but I do know she impacted many through her words of encouragement and love.
It was really something to watch her bravery and belief in the Lord until the very end. Although her time here on earth is now over, her suffering and the way she handled herself was a wonderful example for the world to see. I am glad that she was my friend, and feel so blessed that she touched my life. She was a principal and teacher and made a huge impact in the educational environment over the course of her long career. She taught our precious young people, and was a tireless worker with their best interests always at heart. But to me, her greatest accomplishment was watching her face her own death, with unbelievable dignity and grace. Seeing her reach out to her friends and family and ministering to everyone that came in her path. It was very evident to me, anyway, that God was totally glorified through her untimely passing. I will miss Beth and I will never forget her.
I think some people think that Christians are different, that they are set apart, and they don't endure trials and suffering like everyone else does. Let me say from my point of view, that I have never known a Christian that has not had their share of suffering. Are set apart, are we different from non-believers? Yes, but the only difference is we know that God has a plan, that we are not the ones in ultimate control of our lives, the Lord God Almighty is. We know that because we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, our sins are forgiven and when we die, we will spend eternity in paradise with Him. There is a tremendous amount of peace that comes from those assurances. Anyone can have that same peace, if they trust Jesus as Savior.
I mean, really, why should we be exempt? God allowed his only Son, Jesus Christ to suffer. He was fully God and fully man. He suffered like a man; dying a terrible death crucified on a cross. He could have saved Himself at any time, but He didn't. He stayed there and suffered for all of mankind. He took our place on that cross and died for the sins of the world.
So, do you think that God can be glorified in our suffering? I say Absolutely, if we let God use us and mold us like a piece of clay. I have had and continue to have my own fair share of suffering through living with this disease called MS, but I choose to spend my limited time on this earth with a smile on my face and to let my light shine brightly for Jesus!
I had an bad reaction to the new drug I was trying, "ampyra." I took one dose and had to be pulled off. Boy, was I disappointed. I thought this was going to be the miracle drug for me because it has helped many people with MS walk better. But, it's not for me. Still, I am hopeful and know that God will heal me in His ultimate perfect time. We are having some family difficulties right now, but I know that He is in control of that, as well, and I am thankful. There is such peace in my soul. What a relief!
I'm seeing my PCP next week to talk about CCSVI, the new exciting controversial treatment for MS, that is taking the world by storm. Is this the miracle I have been praying for for so many years? Maybe so. I will continue to pray for God to lead me in the right direction, and open the doors that He sees fit to open. And, I will continue to pray for God to use me for His glory whatever my circumstances may be.
So I say, Lift up your eyes to Jesus. He will help you during any trials, tribulations, suffering or grief you may be going through. He can use your suffering to bring Glory to the Kingdom of God!
My verse for today is from 1 Peter 4:11 "Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God."
My prayer for today:
Dear Heavenly Father:
Help me in my suffering. Help me to always Glorify to You in all my actions and words. Help me to wait on You and Your perfect timing; ever patient, ever knowing that You have a plan for me. Help me to remember Jesus and His suffering, and be thankful for all He did for me. I am blessed.
In Jesus Name I pray,
Amen
On the other side of the coin, I have watched the sister of a dear friend succumb to cancer, after a 10 month courageous battle. With her abiding faith in Jesus and through her online Caring Bridge website blog, she ministered to at least 3,200 friends and family over that time (that is how many hits she had on her web page), including myself. How many more people actually followed along on her blog, but yet made no comment, we'll never know, but I do know she impacted many through her words of encouragement and love.
It was really something to watch her bravery and belief in the Lord until the very end. Although her time here on earth is now over, her suffering and the way she handled herself was a wonderful example for the world to see. I am glad that she was my friend, and feel so blessed that she touched my life. She was a principal and teacher and made a huge impact in the educational environment over the course of her long career. She taught our precious young people, and was a tireless worker with their best interests always at heart. But to me, her greatest accomplishment was watching her face her own death, with unbelievable dignity and grace. Seeing her reach out to her friends and family and ministering to everyone that came in her path. It was very evident to me, anyway, that God was totally glorified through her untimely passing. I will miss Beth and I will never forget her.
I think some people think that Christians are different, that they are set apart, and they don't endure trials and suffering like everyone else does. Let me say from my point of view, that I have never known a Christian that has not had their share of suffering. Are set apart, are we different from non-believers? Yes, but the only difference is we know that God has a plan, that we are not the ones in ultimate control of our lives, the Lord God Almighty is. We know that because we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, our sins are forgiven and when we die, we will spend eternity in paradise with Him. There is a tremendous amount of peace that comes from those assurances. Anyone can have that same peace, if they trust Jesus as Savior.
I mean, really, why should we be exempt? God allowed his only Son, Jesus Christ to suffer. He was fully God and fully man. He suffered like a man; dying a terrible death crucified on a cross. He could have saved Himself at any time, but He didn't. He stayed there and suffered for all of mankind. He took our place on that cross and died for the sins of the world.
So, do you think that God can be glorified in our suffering? I say Absolutely, if we let God use us and mold us like a piece of clay. I have had and continue to have my own fair share of suffering through living with this disease called MS, but I choose to spend my limited time on this earth with a smile on my face and to let my light shine brightly for Jesus!
I had an bad reaction to the new drug I was trying, "ampyra." I took one dose and had to be pulled off. Boy, was I disappointed. I thought this was going to be the miracle drug for me because it has helped many people with MS walk better. But, it's not for me. Still, I am hopeful and know that God will heal me in His ultimate perfect time. We are having some family difficulties right now, but I know that He is in control of that, as well, and I am thankful. There is such peace in my soul. What a relief!
I'm seeing my PCP next week to talk about CCSVI, the new exciting controversial treatment for MS, that is taking the world by storm. Is this the miracle I have been praying for for so many years? Maybe so. I will continue to pray for God to lead me in the right direction, and open the doors that He sees fit to open. And, I will continue to pray for God to use me for His glory whatever my circumstances may be.
So I say, Lift up your eyes to Jesus. He will help you during any trials, tribulations, suffering or grief you may be going through. He can use your suffering to bring Glory to the Kingdom of God!
My verse for today is from 1 Peter 4:11 "Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God."
My prayer for today:
Dear Heavenly Father:
Help me in my suffering. Help me to always Glorify to You in all my actions and words. Help me to wait on You and Your perfect timing; ever patient, ever knowing that You have a plan for me. Help me to remember Jesus and His suffering, and be thankful for all He did for me. I am blessed.
In Jesus Name I pray,
Amen
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